Ardmore Music Hall off to a promising start
The Ardmore Music Hall opened Friday night, with blues-gospel-country trio the Holmes Brothers the first act to grace the stage at the storied space on Lancaster Avenue on the Main Line.
The Ardmore Music Hall opened Friday night, with blues-gospel-country trio the Holmes Brothers the first act to grace the stage at the storied space on Lancaster Avenue on the Main Line.
The 600-capacity standing venue was packed Saturday when the Hooters headlined, no doubt drawing many of the former denizens of the 1980s and early 1990s Ardmore club 23 East, who also showed up Friday for blue-eyed soul act the Billy Price Band.
The horn-heavy act, which played the room frequently back in the day, followed the Holmes Brothers. The room is a more-than-welcome addition to the starved-for-legitimate-live-music Main Line.
The Holmes Brothers are a terrific band that hasn't been buzzed about all that much since emerging with In the Spirit and going on to record for Peter Gabriel's Real World label in the '90s. They're more than worthy of continued celebration.
The range of the Christchurch, Va., natives' talent was apparent Friday night as they covered Jim Reeves' countrypolitan classic "He'll Have to Go" and did justice to the empathetic blues of Elmore James' "It Hurts Me Too."
Wendell Holmes sang a tender original love song to his wife of 40 years, Barbara, who was in the audience, and waxed triumphant about beating back "the devil," who poisoned him with cancer five years ago.
The coming lineup at the Music Hall isn't thrilling, and is a little heavy on 1990s retreads like Edwin McCain and Filter. But there are some solid bookings. Fountains of Wayne, Soul Asylum, and Evan Dando are on a triple bill Oct. 6, Bayou soulster Marc Broussard plays Oct. 11, Kid Rock consort-gone-country Uncle Kracker is on stage Oct. 19, and the quick-picking bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers plays Nov. 22.
The Music Hall is a barroom more than a listening room, but the sound quality was good on opening night. The mix was fuller farther back from the speakers that hung above the stage rather than right up front on the dance floor. A balcony runs above the bar on the left side of the stage as you face it and allows good sight lines for those leaning against the rail.
Craft beers and food with lots of vegan/vegetarian options (via Firinji, whose original storefront is across the street on Lancaster Avenue) is being served. And though the room maxes out at 600 when all tables and chairs are removed, curtains will allow for various sections to be closed off to vary the capacity and create a more intimate feel.
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